20-05-2025
Honest traffic aide in Lapu-Lapu City turns over P20,000
An honest traffic enforcer turned over money he found worth P20,000 to the mayor of Lapu-Lapu City.
Forty-four-year-old Mervin Legarte found the money at past 6 a.m. in Barangay Poblacion.
According to Mervin, he has to pinch-hit for a colleague who took a day-off on Tuesday, May 20, 2025.
While he was standing on Lopez Jaena Street, he saw something on the road that appeared to be money. He waited for over 30 minutes at the area hoping for the owner to appear and look for the lost item.
But no one came back to look for any lost money, so Mervin decided to go to the house of Mayor Junard Chan to turn over the money.
According to Chan, as there is no identification (ID) card, the claimant must first prove legitimate ownership to the money.
It was learned that Mervin is working with the Lapu-Lapu City Government as traffic enforcer for six years already.
In an interview, GMA Regional TV Balitang Bisdak asked Mervin if he was not tempted at all to keep the money.
Mervin said that despite financial challenges, and having a sibling spending time at the hospital for a medical situation, what is on top of his mind is the anguish that the owner of the money is going through at the loss.
"Wa gyud koy idea nga akong hilabtan ang kwarta. Ang akong hunahuna nga basin kinahanglanon gyud tos tag-iya kay daku-dako man gyud nga kwarta. Nasu'd sa akong hunahuna nga ako lang gyud i-turn over sa masaligan ba; kay ang tag-iya adto wala ta kahibawo kon unsa ang iyang gibati, gahilak ba siya…' Mervin said. —GMA Regional TV
